Prophecy
by wingsonfire
Summary: Kai, the last of the Hiwatari, desperately needs a dragon in order to fulfil an ancient prophecy that will bring peace to his kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: Kai, the last of the Hiwatari, desperately needs a dragon in order to fulfil an ancient prophecy that will bring peace to his kingdom.

**Author Notes**: AU fic, inspired by the wonderful '_The Vision of__Escaflowne_'.

**Warning**: Cliché, cheesy plotline, corny prophecy…:)

**PROPHECY**

_Once upon a time, there lived a king and a queen who ruled over the kingdom of Phoenicia. Under their wise and benevolent rule the kingdom prospered and the people led happy lives. They had a son, the young and handsome prince Kai, heir to the throne and beloved of the people…_

Kai sighed. From where he sat atop the small hill, he had a panoramic view of the land around him, spread out in rolling vistas, stretching as far as the eye could see – and Kai's eye could see very far indeed. On one side the forests stretched endlessly, eerie, dark and forbidding; on the other side, the city sprawled, bursting with life and colour.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Max murmured beside him. Kai did not reply. Max continued, "This is one of my earliest memories. Mum and Dad used to bring me up here and tell me stories of Phoenicia and her kings. So much has changed, yet this still remains."

"For how long?" Kai asked in a harsh voice.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Max. For how long will we be able to sit here and enjoy this? We're on the brink of yet another war. In a few days I will be crowned king and then the vultures will start gathering, ready to fight for a piece of this land."

"Kai…"

"It's true, isn't it? Our borders are not secure, our allies are already withdrawing their support and Balkov is waiting, just biding his time until he can strike. Our army has already been infiltrated. War is about to break out and I have no idea what to do. I don't even know whether it's worth fighting anymore."

"Kai! Don't say such things. This is your kingdom. The people here are your people. You have a responsibility…"

"Responsibility…more like a burden. My ancestors spent their entire lives fighting to keep this kingdom from being destroyed.…. I'm sick of this kingdom, this struggle to keep it…I'm tired."

Max said nothing. On the one hand he could empathize with Kai. They had been companions from childhood. No one knew Kai better than him. Yet, on the other hand he knew that this was Kai's destiny – to rule over this magnificent but troubled kingdom. It wouldn't do for him to think of alternatives.

"I need to find a dragon," Kai muttered.

"What?" Max asked, surprised.

Kai threw him a sideways glance. "You know, the prophecy. The only way to bring peace is to fulfil that damn prophecy. And I need a dragon for that."

Max gaped at him. Kai was truly clutching at straws here. Everyone knew the prophecy was just a load of rubbish. "Where are you going to find a dragon? Do they even exist anymore?"

Kai's shoulders slumped. "I don't know. I wish…"

Max placed a comforting hand over his shoulder. "Just relax. Remember what my mother used to say? There will always be a way out. The hour before dawn is always the darkest. You just need to be patient and wait for your time."

_Easy for you to say_, Kai thought somewhat uncharitably. Max was naturally optimistic, the most cheerful person to grace his life so far. He loved Max for his constant good humour and ready smile, but sometimes Kai wished Max understood...understood the fear and loneliness that gnawed inside him, the feeling of hopelessness that sometimes overwhelmed him. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. The brilliance hurt his eyes so he turned his head towards the forest.

The Hou Ou forest that edged the hill was as ancient as time, and as mysterious. Dark and brooding, it beckoned him, like it always had. He supposed it was the Hiwatari blood in him. Legend had it that long long ago, a red phoenix had saved the life of a blue dragon in this very forest and earned its eternal gratitude. The spirit of the phoenix was believed to reside in the forest as the guardian spirit of the Hiwatari clan, and consequently the kingdom of Phoenicia. As for the dragon, it had vanished into the mists of myth and lore.

Once, plagued by incessant wars, a Hiwatari ruler had approached the Oracle, and it was then that the prophecy had been made, the prophecy that had stirred hope for a while, only to dash it later. Kai didn't know whether to believe in it or not. He recalled the words of the Oracle, inscribed in countless scrolls, immortalized in tales, and memorized by each generation of the Hiwatari :

_Hiwatari will find the Dragon. The tears of the Phoenix will heal the Dragon and peace will come to Phoenicia._

If it was true why had no one been able to find the dragon? His ancestors had carried out numerous quests, yet none had been successful. Now, time was running out. He was the last of the Hiwatari and Phoenicia stood on the brink of extinction. Where in the world was he to find a dragon?

As he gazed at the forest, he thought wistfully of the relatively carefree days of his boyhood when he, along with Max, Tala and Ryan, had often ventured into its dark depths, despite being forbidden to do so. They hadn't found the dragon either but had formed friendship that he had thought would hold firm. How very wrong he had been…Well, he had Max, and in a way, Tala too. But Ryan…

A sudden thought occurred to him and he sat up straight. Could he call upon the dragon spirit to discharge the life debt that it owed the phoenix? Had any of his ancestors thought about it? He didn't know but it was worth a try. Especially as he had nothing, absolutely nothing to lose. He got up and started walking down the hill purposefully.

"Kai…! Where are you off to? Hey, wait for me!" Max scrambled to his feet and hurried after Kai who was now making a beeline for the forest.

Kai walked until he reached a clearing inside the forest and then stopped. The ancient trees formed a rough circle around him, their gnarled branches forming a canopy that cut off most of the light. To Max, who was watching Kai completely mystified, it felt cold after the warmth of the hillside, and the silence was somehow unnerving. But Kai felt right at home here. He didn't know why, but it seemed like a good spot to entertain a dragon. He hesitated, wondering how to go about his task and then sat down on the leaf-strewn ground. Assuming a meditative pose, he thought of what he wanted and called forth the ancient spirit.

Or tried to.

Nothing happened. It wasn't working. He couldn't give up however, he had to try once more. He cleared his mind and heart of all thought and emotion, except the one wish. With his entire focus on that wish, he concentrated with all his might. He could feel himself slipping away slowly, being drawn outside of himself, but he held on desperately. And then he felt it…a subtle shift in the air around him. A faint stirring of breeze caressed his hair and rustled the leaves of the trees. He opened his eyes slowly.

And there, in front of him, some distance away, he saw it – a shimmering of air and a blue shadow within it. Kai held his breath. The shadow took shape and form and he could clearly see what it was.

"A dragon…!" He got to his feet and started to run towards the apparition. Behind him he heard Max call out in alarm, but he took no heed. It was as if his wish had been granted. He would catch this dragon, he had to. As he closed the distance between them, he felt the breeze gather force, swirling all around him, whipping up speed. Kai tried to stop but everything blurred and the next moment he felt himself sucked into something that felt like a whirlwind.

Max could only stare in horror as Kai vanished into thin air.

---

On a clear blue day in Bay City, two beybladers were hard at practice as their friends watched and shouted encouragement.

"Come on, Tyson! Push him back! You can do it!"

"Don't let up, Ray! Focus! Come on!"

The beyblades spun and whirled, attacking each other with increasing ferocity, while Tyson and Ray watched with unwavering concentration. Kenny's eyes were glued to his computer screen, noting the increasing energy levels. Dragoon was gaining the upper hand. Both Tyson's and Dragoon's strength were practically going off the charts. Driger was struggling to stay in the game.

Tyson could feel the adrenaline surging in him. Dragoon was picking up speed, creating a small hurricane, inexorably pushing back Driger. Soon, very soon, this battle would be his.

"Now Dragoon! Ultimate Storm Attack!"

The storm was all around him. He could feel Dragoon's energy coursing through his veins and readied for the final thrust. And then he saw it. A faint golden shimmer of air… and the next moment, something fiery, like a blaze of red and gold, was bearing down on him. He tried to swerve to avoid imminent collision but it was too late.Something crashed into him. For a moment he felt as if he was on fire and then he lost consciousness.

Kenny, Mariah and Ray stared in stupefaction as Dragoon's Storm Attack sucked Tyson right into its depth and out of sight.

_tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning:** I forgot to mention earlier that along with _cliched plot_ and other stuff, this fic contains _BL_ and _het._ Nothing graphic, of course :) Pairings are easy to guess, or will be, by the next chapter. Read on…

**PROPHECY - II**

Awareness returned slowly, and with it the realisation that he was lying on the rough forest floor, his face pressed into the dirt, while the universe spun dizzily around him. His hands fisted in the ground, trying to hold on to something, anything that would anchor him. He remained thus for some time, until the spinning had slowed down and stopped completely, then opened his eyes. Clamping down the nausea, he tried to raise his head, but it took too much of an effort, so he let it drop and closed his eyes again.

A warm hand brushed back the hair from his forehead and gently stroked his face.

"Kai…? Can you hear me?"

Max.

Kai opened his eyes once more. The nausea was receding. He tried to move again but this time Max restrained him. "Wait! Let me see if there are any broken bones or wounds." Max ran a clinical hand over him and found nothing. "You seem to be unhurt. Can you get up?" He put an arm around Kai and raised him to a sitting position. "How do you feel?"

_Shattered_, he wanted to say but didn't – he didn't think he had the energy left to speak.

"What happened?"

_Good question_. He remembered coming here to call forth the dragon. And then…he had seen the dragon, he was sure of it. Where was it? He looked around expectantly and tried to get up but Max wouldn't let him.

"Kai, what happened? I want to know why you took off like that and …what just happened?"

"Dragon. I saw one…here."

Max sat back and looked at his friend sadly. "There was no dragon here, Kai. None that I could see. For one moment I thought you had vanished…but...then I saw you...knocked out cold. You must have tripped over something."

Kai didn't understand. He could have sworn he had seen it. And the whirlwind…it had sucked him in…and then…nothing. Had it been an illusion?

"I saw it. I know I did…a blue dragon. I couldn't have imagined it….It was real…"

"Kai…you have to get a grip on yourself. There is no dragon. There are more urgent matters for you to think about, you understand? Stop wasting your time and energy on chasing myths.You're just going to end up disappointed...and hurt."

Max sounded desperate and scared. Kai opened his mouth to protest, but then sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"It's getting late. Come on, we have to get back."

Kai said nothing, but slowly got to his feet. A terrible feeling of hopelessness and doom enveloped him. The dragon had been the last hope. And now it was gone. As he slowly made to follow Max out of the forest, he paused and turned once more to look at the spot where he had seen the apparition. There was nothing there, nothing that should not have been there.

And then he heard it. A faint groan, coming from somewhere among the undergrowth.

----

His head ached terribly; any moment now it would burst. His body felt as though it had been through ten rounds in the boxing ring. And his insides…his insides were threatening to come out if he so much as moved an inch. Tyson groaned again softly.

Something cool was pressed over his face. He sighed, feeling marginally better and slowly opened his eyes…and found himself looking into wide blue eyes set in a freckled face.

Memory came rushing back to Tyson the next instant. The beybattle with Ray…he had been close to winning…the Storm Attack…and that – that fiery thing that had knocked him down…

"Who won? Did I win?" he asked anxiously.

The blue eyes looked confused. Suddenly it struck Tyson that he didn't know this person. "Who are you?" He sat up, ignoring the nausea that threatened to well up again. "Where's Ray? And Kenny?" He looked around. Not only were Ray and Kenny not there, he seemed to be in completely strange place, some sort of a forest. Hadn't he been beyblading by the riverside?

"Who are you?" he asked again. "Where is this place? How did I get here?"

"I'm Max. You are in the Hou Ou forest and we too would like to know how you got here."

_We?_

Tyson's gaze slid away from the blond to the youth who stood behind him, watching them impassively. He didn't look much older than Tyson. Tyson's eyes skimmed over the black attire and came to rest on a pale face with strange blue markings on the cheeks. Then he looked into the amethyst eyes…and felt the hair on the nape of his neck stand up. His breath caught. For one fraction of an instant he thought he glimpsed a flash of fire in those eyes...

Tyson shook his head slightly, feeling disoriented. Who were these people? Where was he?

"Are you lost perhaps? Or…has someone attacked you?" Max asked curiously. "What is your name?"

"Tyson." Where were Ray, Kenny and Mariah? They had to be somewhere around. "My friends…are they…?"

"We found only you here. Perhaps if you tell us where you're from and how you got here…"

"I'm from Bey City. My friends were right there with me. They have to be somewhere here," he said, looking at Max in confusion.

Max was puzzled. "Bey City? I've never heard of it."

Tyson stared at the blond boy. This was too weird. Like some strange dream. Suddenly he found his answer. _Of course, this is a dream. That's it. This is all just a dream. Or a_ _hallucination._ That made sense.

Max was coming to a similar conclusion. Apparently this strange boy was suffering from some concussion, maybe even some form of amnesia. He turned towards Kai and raised an eyebrow in silent query. Kai shrugged indifferently and turned away.

Max turned back to Tyson. "You may come with us if you like. It's too late to be wandering here on your own. We'll help you find your way home tomorrow."

Tyson thought for a while before nodding. It made no difference…if this was all a dream. Max got up to follow Kai back to the trail that led out of the forest. A few steps ahead, he looked back to see if Tyson was following them.

Tyson had got to his feet. Even as Max watched curiously, he bent down to pick up something from the ground – a few things; one that he placed on his head and the others in his pocket.

---

Tyson kept his hand tightly closed around the beyblade in his pocket. Dream or no dream, he was glad that Dragoon was with him. It made him feel a little less lost and lonely. They had been walking in silence; although Max kept shooting curious glances at him, he did not say much and Tyson was still feeling too disoriented to talk. He looked around as he tried to keep pace with his blond guide. The third member of their party walked way ahead, seemingly lost in his thoughts. They had left the forest a while back and were now in some sort of a town. There were a few people about. Some of them raised their hands in greeting as they passed but most of them just watched in sullen silence. There didn't seem to be much activity. Perhaps it was the failing light that seemed to cast an air of gloom over everything, but Tyson felt very uneasy. He shivered slightly.

"Are you alright?" Max asked.

"I'm fine. It's just…this place gives me the creeps."

"Really?" Max was surprised. "Why?"

Tyson shrugged. Maybe it was all in his mind. Dreams were weird that way…if this was a dream. "Where are we going?" he asked, changing the subject.

"To the palace, of course."

"Oh?" _If this wasn't a dream…_"You think the king would help me find the way home?"

Max stared at Tyson in amusement. This boy was truly a stranger. "We don't have a king. Not right now. And we're going to the palace because we live there."

"You mean…you're royalty?"

Max laughed. "I'm not. But Prince Kai is." He nodded towards their companion.

_Prince Kai_…

"Are you the…bodyguard, then?"

"I suppose you could call me that," Max said, grinning. "Aah…here we are."

Tyson found himself staring up at huge iron gates that suddenly loomed over them. Beyond the gates stretched a long avenue that he supposed led to the palace. In the gathering twilight, he couldn't make out much of the stone structure but his attention was caught by the banner that fluttered atop it. In a golden background, a flame-coloured bird rose in splendid magnificence, as if rising out of fire. Tyson stared at the flag, wondering why his heart was pounding so wildly at the sight. Some memory seemed to nudge at the edge of his consciousness, just out of grasp. Like a feeling of _déjà vu_. What was it?

His headache returned with a vengeance and accompanying nausea. He was barely aware of Max leading him inside, through interminable corridors into his apartment. Kai seemed to have disappeared and Tyson didn't really care. All he wanted was to lie down somewhere until his head felt better. Max seemed to understand; he rummaged in his cupboard and came up with a bottle, the contents of which he measured into a cup and made Tyson drink, before helping him to the bedroom.

"That wasn't poison, was it?" Tyson asked somewhat groggily as he flopped on the four-poster bed.

"No, that was a painkiller potion. It'll help you sleep better too." Max arranged Tyson a bit more comfortably on the bed, before drawing the curtains around him. "Sleep well. Tomorrow we'll see about getting you home."

Max returned to the drawing room and rang for his supper. He knew Kai would not be joining him for the meal tonight; in fact he had a strong suspicion that right at that moment Kai was standing by his window, gazing out at the far distance, brooding over his dragon.

Max sighed and wearily dismissed Kai from his mind. He had other matters to think of….like his studies. Supper over, he was going to hit the books. Being an apprentice healer was no laughing matter.

0000

The sound of someone knocking on the door permeated through Max's consciousness, waking him from the uneasy sleep into which he had fallen. He raised his head from the open books and scrolls on the table that he had been using as pillow and winced as his neck muscles protested painfully.

The knock sounded again, urgent and imperative. Stifling a yawn, he got up hastily to open the door and let out a surprised cry when someone stumbled in, kicking the door shut behind him.

"Tala!"

Max stared aghast at the dishevelled form of his friend as he leant against the door, breathing laboriously, one hand wrapped around his abdomen while the other hand hung limp by his side. Tala's normally immaculate white uniform was stained with the blood that dripped from the various cuts on his face and arms.

"What- what happened? Who did this to you?"

"Get…Kai," Tala wheezed. "Now!" he added urgently as Max dithered in confusion.

"Let me -" Max made a move towards him but Tala forestalled him.

"I'll…be ok. Get Kai. Make sure no one…sees you."

Without further argument Max left. Tala pushed off from the door and stumbled towards the table where Max's books and scrolls were littered.Pulling out the chair towards him, he sank into it and waited for Max to return, trying not to pass out.

Max returned in record time with Kai who rushed straight to him.

"What happened, Tala?" Kai asked, his voice quiet but anxious.

Tala opened his eyes and looked at Kai. "Sorry…had to drag you here…couldn't risk…"

"Here, drink this. You'll feel better." Before Tala could protest, Max had tipped a small bottle into his mouth and then settled down next to him in order to attend to the wounds.

"The army…has planned a coup. The regiments are going to mutiny…Balkov's plan. I overheard..and got caught…barely escaped. They're coming after you, Kai. That's why…I came here…couldn't risk leading them…to you. You've got to leave…"

Kai and Max stared at Tala, absorbing what he'd said.

"Balkov's not waiting till the coronation then, is he?" Max said as he continued working on Tala's wounds.

"He doesn't…feel the need to wait. As far as he's concerned, everything is in place…Only thing left to do…get rid of the prince…"

"I'm not going anywhere," Kai stated quietly.

"You have no choice," Tala said. "You're not…safe here. Your security is compromised."

"I'm not going anywhere," Kai repeated. "This is my kingdom and I'm not going to run away and leave my people alone and defenceless. I'd rather die."

"You fool! You _will_ die if you stay here. Don't you understand?" Tala retorted angrily. Max placed a calming hand on him and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Forgive me. It's not my place to tell you what to do. But your security…" He turned to Max, his eyes pleading. _Tell him_.

"Tala's right, Kai. If the army is going to mutiny, you don't stand a chance. Your life is in danger if you stay here. And you won't be of any use to your people if you're dead. Balkov wants you, not the people of Phoenicia."

"And you think he'll leave my people alone when he finds I'm gone?"

"He will be too busy looking for you. Don't you understand, Kai, as long as you are alive, he won't be able to lay one grubby finger on this kingdom?"

In the silence that ensued Max finished dressing up Tala's wounds.

"Where will I go? Who will give me asylum? Need I remind you that Phoenicia is truly surrounded by enemies?" Kai asked with a short laugh. "Whether I stay or go…it makes no difference. I'd rather die fighting."

Tala struggled to his feet, brushing aside Max's restraining hands. "You are not going to die…not if I have any say in the matter."

Kai stared at the youngest captain in his army for a long moment. Then he smiled slightly.

"And what will you do, my friend? Will you also go into hiding?"

"I will go underground. I know - I know there are still some who are loyal to you. I will gather them together. We'll form a resistance and find a way to foil Balkov's plans." Tala hesitated, then added, "With your permission."

"Then I too will - "

Tala shook his head, cutting short Kai's words. "I'll be able to work easier, knowing you are safe. Please…"

"And I know where Kai can take refuge…" Max put in suddenly. "The Hou Ou forest."

Tala smiled faintly. "That's an idea. The forest will keep you safe. And I'll know where to reach you." He looked at Kai, blue eyes pleading.

Kai hesitated. His heart rebelled against the idea of fleeing in the face of danger, but he had to admit that Tala and Max were right. If he stayed and was caught, Phoenicia would be lost for good.

He sighed and nodded. Max and Tala looked relieved.

"You'll go with him, Max," Tala said. "You must set out immediately. Travel light. And stay hidden."

Max, who was already stuffing his bag with a few essentials, suddenly stopped and turned to Kai, looking worried

"I just remembered - what about that boy? The one we found in the forest?"

"Is he here?" Kai asked. Max nodded, indicating the bedroom.

"What boy?" Tala asked suspiciously.

"Kai and I found a boy in the forest. We think he's lost and suffering from some memory loss. He seemed somewhat confused."

Tala looked at them in consternation. "You two…do you have any idea…what if he's a spy? Or an assassin?"

"I don't think he's either," Kai said shortly, not feeling the need to defend or explain his intuition.

"If we leave him here - " Max began hesitantly.

Kai cut him short. "Oh, what does it matter? We'll take him along. Maybe a trek in the forest will jog his memory. We did find him there, after all."

He went inside to wake up the boy while Max continued packing. Tala followed him.

----

"..Nng…no school….Grandpa…lemme sleep…" Tyson mumbled as he tried to shrug off the hands that were urgently shaking his shoulders, trying to wake him up.

"Wake up. We're leaving."

Grandpa seemed pretty insistent and he didn't want to start off his day with a thwack from the kendo stick, so he reluctantly opened his eyes. _Since when did Grandpa start wearing blue face paint_, Tyson thought in confusion as he looked at the face that hovered over him. Then he remembered…

"Oh…it's you…"

Kai looked into sleepy dark brown eyes and wondered why he had expected them to be blue. He shook his head. "We are leaving. Hurry up if you want to come along." He turned and left the room.

Tala studied the boy for a few moments and then followed Kai out of the room.

Was he ever going to wake up from this dream, Tyson wondered as he rose and, rubbing his eyes tiredly, followed them to the other room. He watched curiously as Max rushed about, a bag in hand, while Kai and the red-haired young man conversed in low, urgent tones. Something was going on. He opened his mouth to ask, then thought better of it. Instead his fingers curled around the beyblade in his pocket. So long as Dragoon was with him…

000

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**PROPHECY – III**

No matter how hard Tyson tried to convince himself that this was all a dream – a dream from which he would wake up any minute and find himself either late for school or late for practice – he was slowly coming to the reluctant conclusion that this was all too real. No dream could be so physically painful. It seemed to him as though they had been walking forever with no destination in sight. Following their surreal flight from Kai's palace in the dead of the night, Kai and Max seemed to have only one goal in mind – to keep as much distance as possible between themselves and civilisation. Hence the brief rest stops and the endless tramping through forest, the likes of which he had not seen outside of the National Geographic documentaries.

Tyson wondered why they had to drag him along with them. He had tried to get some answers but Kai just pretended not to hear while Max made some evasive replies Where was he? Where was this place? He tried to recall his geography lessons, but couldn't remember ever coming across a place called Phoenicia. Which, of course, meant nothing. For all he knew, he could have slept through that all-important lesson and thus missed it. If only Kenny were here….

_Or maybe…maybe I'm not in my world anymore. Maybe I'm in some alternate dimension…somehow it makes more sense and it's just the sort of weird thing that would happen to me…an out-of-the-world trip and I land smack in the middle of some palace intrigue! And the World Championship is just around the corner. How am I going to get back in time for it? Ray and Kenny need me. They must be sick with worry…and Grandpa…_

CRASH…!

He stubbed his foot against yet another protruding root of a giant tree and found himself in intimate contact with the ground once again. It was getting to be an embarrassingly familiar position for him and he was just relieved when hands pulled him up and someone – Max, probably – declared that they had walked enough and would camp there for the duration.

Tyson sank onto the ground, and with a grateful sigh, leant back against the tree trunk, vowing never to get up from there. Max and Kai could trek to their hearts' content; he was staying put until someone rescued him and sent him back home. Grimacing in pain, he gingerly removed his shoes and socks and stared sadly at his bruised, swollen feet.

Something fell into his lap. He saw that it was a small jar of what looked like a balm. He looked up and saw Max sitting a few feet away, watching him. Kai was nowhere in sight.

"Your feet look like they need some help. Use it."

Shrugging, Tyson did as Max had suggested. "Say, Max, I just thought of something. This is a jungle…why haven't we come across any wild animal? Aren't there any here?"

"Of course there are."

Tyson glanced around him apprehensively. Max smiled and shook his head slightly. "Don't worry. They won't harm us because we are with Kai."

"What is that supposed to mean? Is Kai some kind of wildlife repellant? Or is he king of the jungle as well?"

"He is a Hiwatari. This is the Hou Ou forest where the Hiwatari guardian spirit resides. Kai is safe here and so are we, since we are with him."

"So where is he? Shouldn't he be here with us?"

"Oh, he's around," Max said dismissively.

Tyson had to be content with that. He looked around curiously. They were camped in a small clearing. All around them loomed trees…dense, impenetrable, dark. Faint light occasionally flickered through the foliage, dimly illuminating the surrounding. The silence was like nothing he had experienced before. Try as he would, he could not even hear a bird chirp.

_There's something strange about this place_. _And it isn't just the eerieness or the silence. It's a sense of familiarity. _"It's like I've been here before…"

"What did you say?" Max asked curiously.

"I feel as if I know this place…as if I've been here before…But how can that be? I've never seen this place until now…"

"Maybe you're beginning to remember," Max said excitedly. "Kai was right. Now that you are here, you'll remember where exactly you're from and what you were doing here-"

"Max -" Tyson interrupted the blond boy, "I have no idea what you're talking about. What am I supposed to remember? Hey, I know who I am and where I'm from…and it's definitely not here."

"What do you mean?"

"I…I don't know how to say this, but this isn't my world. I know…I feel I don't belong here. But…at the same time, I feel as if…I've been here before. I don't know…maybe I've dreamt of this before…or something. You know when you get a feeling like that…like a déjà vu…like it's happened before…" Tyson's voice trailed off. Max was looking at him, as if trying to understand what he was saying.

Tyson shook his head. "It's weird. I felt the same when I saw that banner at the palace…like I'd seen it somewhere…that bird…"

"It's the phoenix, the Hiwatari emblem. Of course you would have seen it somewhere."

Max didn't understand, Tyson thought in frustration. He shook his head, but said nothing more and turned his attention back to his feet, thus failing to notice when his blond companion quietly slipped away.

----

"…So what do you think?" Max asked as he finished telling Kai about the odd conversation he had with Tyson. Kai leant against a tree, arms crossed, eyes closed, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I think he's a nutter. But still harmless."

"Are you sure, Kai? Maybe Tala was right. Tyson may look harmless but what if he's not?"

"Max, trust me. I feel I'm right."

Max was quiet for a while. He knew Kai's intuitions had always proved true. But there was a first time for everything. And the stakes now were very high.

"Tala would kill me if something happened to you, Kai. So you better be right," he muttered.

"I know I am." Suddenly Kai's eyes flew open and he straightened up. "Listen."

There was the sound of something crashing through the vegetation, followed by someone shouting, "Guys! Where are you? Hey, Max, Kai - hello, guys…don't you dare leave me and go-"

The next moment Tyson hobbled into view. "Hey," he shouted irately. "What's the big idea, leaving me all alone like that? _I'm _not the animal repellant here, in case you've forgotten. What if something had attacked me? I don't want to die here, you know. I have a Beyblade Tournament to win."

_Animal repellant? Beyblade tournament?_ Kai shot Max a quizzical look. Max just shook his head. 

"Relax, Tyson. The forest knows you're with Kai. Nothing's going to happen to you."

"Damn right nothing's going to happen to me. Because from now on, I'm sticking to Kai. He and I are going to be inseparable."

Kai groaned silently.

8888

"Argh! He's done it again! I don't get it. What's with him and this Lone Ranger act? Aren't we all in this together? Why can't he stick with us? Why must he slip off every chance he gets?"

Tyson paced the campsite, irritation rising with each step. Another day, another camp...and Kai was again missing. No matter how closely Tyson tried to stick to him, Kai always managed to give him the slip. It annoyed the hell out of him.

Max waited patiently for Tyson's rant to get over, then without looking up from his book, said quietly, "He'll be back, don't worry."

Tyson threw up his hands in frustration. "I'm not worried. No – wait, actually I am worried. But why aren't you?"

"What do you mean?" Max asked, looking up with a frown.

"Come on, Max, I may not know what exactly is going on here, since you guys are so secretive about it. But even I can put two and two together. Kai's in danger and that's why we are stuck in this God-forsaken forest, trekking with no end in sight. Isn't that so?" Tyson waited for a reply but when none was forthcoming, he continued, "What I don't understand is why you let him go off on his own. Dude, what if he's ambushed or - "

"He'll be fine, Tyson. No harm will come to him in this forest."

"Yeah, right."

"Do you really want to know what's going on?" Max asked after a while. If Kai trusted him, then he deserved to know.

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"It's a long story, but I'll make it short." Max waited for Tyson to settle down next to him, then continued, "As far as common knowledge goes, Phoenicia has always been in a constant state of war. These wars were not always with some mighty enemy. Some were border wars…and some were internal conflicts. History books and scrolls never talk of the peaceful eras…because we've never had any. Only brief periods of ceasefire between wars that they call Interludes. When you think about it, it's a wonder that we still exist. But we always managed to hold our own against the enemies. Our allies were as plentiful as our enemies and our soldiers were the best."

"So what's changed now?" Tyson asked curiously as Max fell into a thoughtful silence.

"Everything. Sometimes I feel that if the late king, Kai's father, had been alive, things would've been different. Sure, war would not stop but….Kai's parents were killed when Kai was around twelve years old. That would be some five years back. My parents were killed in the same war…we became orphans at the same time. I moved into the palace after that. Kai was a minor at the time, so the government fell into the hands of the Council."

"Council?"

"Yeah…a bunch of morons who think no end of themselves," Max growled. "Balkov would never have had the guts to strike if there had been a Hiwatari on the throne. And the allies…they would still be around. Instead they fell away, one after another, leaving us to fight alone. I had hoped we could somehow muddle through for a few more days – until Kai came of age and could take control again. But Balkov proved to be smarter. His wily moves have effectively isolated us. And look where we are now…"

"So this Balkov is now in control of your kingdom."

Max smirked. "Not really. He will never be able to touch one brick or stone of Phoenicia as long as a Hiwatari still lives. Phoenicia belongs to the Hiwatari. War or no war, as long as there is a Hiwatari to stake claim to the throne, Phoenicia survives. That's why Balkov wants to get rid of Kai."

There was a moment of silence as Tyson pondered over what Max said. "So, are you telling me that Kai's going to spend the rest of his life out here in the forest?"

"Unless Tala succeeds in his mission and rustles up an army to stand against Balkov."

"It doesn't look good, does it? This – is there a way out? There has to be some way to turn the tables. Kai can't just give up like that. You have got to think of something."

"There is a way out," Max said after a pause. "But I don't know whether to believe it or not."

"Why not? What is it?"

Max hesitated. He felt a bit as though he was betraying Kai…but Kai trusted Tyson and his instincts had never been wrong. And Max badly needed someone with whom to share his troubled thoughts.

"There's a prophecy which says that we need to find a dragon in order to win this war. I don't know the exact words but that's the gist of it."

"A dragon?" Tyson asked in disbelief. "You mean there are dragons here as well?"

"No. Everyone knows dragons don't exist anymore. If they did, don't you think someone would have found one a long time back?"

"Then – what does it mean? I mean – prophecies…they're stuff you read about in fairy tales. They are not true, are they? Who makes them anyway? And what's the point…if nobody believes in them?"

"I didn't say nobody believed in them," Max muttered, looking away from Tyson.

"Then who -?" Tyson stared at Max in confusion. If Max didn't believe…and Kai didn't…_Kai_… "Are you telling me that _Kai _believes? It can't be…I mean, he seems quite sane…"

"Where do you think he is right now? You have noticed how he keeps disappearing…"

"And you're telling me he's searching for a _dragon_? Here?" Tyson scoffed. He refused to believe that Kai was indulging in a pointless activity like that instead of thinking of some way to beat Balkov and his minions.

"When we were kids, we used to come often to this forest to play. We had elaborate games that mostly involved searching for the dragon. It was fun and none of us thought of it as something other than a game. Except Kai. I just realised that…even way back then he had been obsessed about it. It had never been a game to him. He had always believed in it."

Tyson didn't know what to say. It seemed to him as inconceivable as Kenny voluntarily watching horror movies. Completely unbelievable. Kai was a prince, for heaven's sake…a future king… someone with responsibilities…someone with a kingdom to save and protect. He shouldn't be chasing after stupid fables.

A small voice at the back of his head reminded him that he was in no position to pass judgement. This wasn't his time/place/world. Who was to tell what was real and what was myth here?

"Remember the day we found you in the forest?" Max continued, "Kai was sure-"

Max never got to finish what he was saying because at that moment a scream rent the air, shocking them into silence. They looked at each other stunned. The next moment they were on their feet and running in the direction of the scream, unmindful of the need for stealth or quiet, one thought running through their minds.

_Kai…_

When they finally made it to the clearing from where the scream had sounded, the sight that met their eyes robbed them of speech momentarily.

It wasn't Kai who hung suspended from the branches of a tree, tangled up in vines.

It was…someone else.

"_Hilary_!" Max gasped in astonishment.

It took a moment for Tyson to figure out that it was a girl. He reached into his pocket for his beyblade, just as Max reached down to pull out a dagger from the sheath strapped to his right calf. But before either of them could make a move, a knife whizzed through the air, slicing the vines neatly and freeing the girl. Tyson turned around in surprise.

It was Kai.

_How…? When…?_

Max, meanwhile, had rushed over to the girl who had fallen down to the ground, and was crouched next to her, checking to see if she was hurt.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Hilary tried to reassure him in a shaky voice.

"What are you doing here, Hil? Aren't you supposed to be at the Academy?"

"I…I ran away."

"WHAT?" Max sat back, shocked.

"I…found out that…I heard what had happened…I wanted to see you." She raised her head and looked straight at Kai who was wearing an undecipherable expression on his face.

"How did you know where to find us? Have you been following us all this while?" Max asked suspiciously.

"Of course not," Hilary said angrily. "I knew this would be the one place you'd come to. So I came here. I knew I'd eventually find you here."

"You came here all by yourself – Hilary, what were you thinking of? If something had happened to you – Does Ryan know?"

"Ryan isn't my keeper. He made his choice and I've made mine. And nothing would have happened to me. You forget I know this forest as well as you do."

Max cast an eloquent glance at the slashed vines that dangled above them. Hilary interpreted the look and flushed. "Well, apart from that…"

"Hilary…" Max said helplessly.

From the corner of his eyes, Tyson caught a movement and turned to see Kai walk away without a word. To his surprise, Hilary scrambled to her feet, and brushing Max aside, followed after Kai.

"Kai…please wait…"

_What was that all about_?

8888

TBC 


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Hello...I wonder if anyone's still interested in this fic. It's been a long time, and I'm truly sorry for the delay which was unavoidable. Well, here's the next installment. Hope you enjoy it. Comments are welcome.

**Warning:** As before. I'll be a little more specific: Kai/Tyson against the backdrop of Kai/Hilary. **  
**

**PROPHECY – IV**

**  
**

"So...what was that all about?" Tyson asked curiously as he and Max made their way back to the camp after retrieving Kai's knife and Hilary's bag from where they had fallen. "Who's she?"

"An old friend," Max replied. Tyson noted that he seemed distracted and was frowning slightly.

"Why is she here? I thought you said-"

"I really don't know, Tyson. You heard her. She heard what had happened and wanted to make sure Kai - we were all alright."

"And she crossed a deep and scary forest all by herself in order to do that? She's brave."

"Oh, Hilary has never lacked courage. Even when we were young…She's the most spirited girl I know."

Tyson threw Max a sideways glance and grinned. "_Someone's_ got a crush, I think."

"Huh?" Max looked puzzled and then, to Tyson's amusement, his face reddened. "No – no, you've got it wrong. I'm – it's not what you think."

"Really? Then why are you blushing? You look just like Kenny does when someone mentions his beloved Ming Ming."

"Hey, you'd blush too if someone suggested that you had a crush on your best friend's – er...that is-" Max broke off suddenly, not sure how to continue.

There was a momentary pause, then Tyson spoke, "Ah...so she and Kai, huh?" He tried to wrap his mind around the idea of Kai being involved – romantically – with someone. Kai just didn't seem the type.

"She's been in love with Kai since forever."

_Which explains why she ran after Kai back there._ "Does she believe in dragons as well?"

Max hesitated. "She...well, she believes in Kai...and that's all that matters. We all thought that one day they would get married. But...it's all past now."

"Why? Because of this Balkov mess? They can still-"

"It's because of Ryan. Hilary's brother. He was once Kai's closest friend. His land, White Country, adjoins Phoenicia and we used to be traditional allies. But when Balkov's threat loomed, Ryan's father decided to play safe and withdrew his support. He apparently didn't believe Phoenicia could last long, either under the Council or Kai. And maybe he didn't want Balkov to target his land for supporting us. It was a shrewd political move that Ryan decided to continue when he came to power. As far as he is concerned, friendship and politics don't mix well."

There was so much bitterness in Max's voice that Tyson was rather taken back. He opened his mouth to ask further but something in Max's expression told him to back off. He could understand it; Ryan's betrayal was still a festering wound and if Max felt this way, Tyson could only guess what Kai must have gone through. And now that Hilary was here...

_No wonder he seemed less than thrilled to see her._

They covered the rest of the distance in silence and once they'd reached the camp, Max went off to hunt for food. Tyson didn't offer to accompany him since he sensed Max wanted to be alone for a while. Feeling at loose ends, he flopped down under tree and closed his eyes. Idly he wondered how Kai and Hilary were getting on. What would happen now that she was here?

Tyson sighed and his thoughts turned to his own friends. What were they doing now? Were they still searching for him? Did they believe him to be dead? Grandpa...how was he taking the news? If only he could send some sort of message to them...if only he could find his way back home...

_I wonder if I'll ever see them again_.

The sound of footsteps pulled him out of his reverie and he opened his eyes, expecting to see Max or even Kai.

It was Hilary.

She looked just as surprised to see him there. They stared at each other, rather at loss for words. Then she asked, "Where's Max?"

"Gone foraging for food. Where's Kai?"

Tyson wished he could take back his query as he watched her face wilt. Apparently the reunion hadn't been a particularly happy one.

"He's – he'll be back in a while." Hilary perched on a small log of wood a little away from him. Tyson sat up slowly. There was an uncomfortable silence as Hilary looked around, studying her surroundings while Tyson watched her curiously. He didn't know what to make of her. The girls of his acquaintance were generally from the beyblading world one way or the other and it was easy to relate to them. This was different. How did one go about making polite small talk with a strange girl who knew nothing about bit beasts or last year's best battle or the latest beyblade stats?

Hilary raised a hand to flick back a lock of brown hair that had fallen over her eye and Tyson noticed the scratches and cuts that decorated her arms and face. Some were deep and fresh, still oozing blood, while some were scabbed and looked a few days old.

"You're hurt."

She glanced at him surprised and then grimaced as she followed his gaze. "Oh, these...they're nothing."

"They don't look like nothing. You must ask Max for something to put on them."

"I'm fine," she insisted politely.

"I can't believe you actually came all the way here by yourself. Max told me there are some dangerous wild animals in here. Weren't you scared?"

She shrugged half-embarrassed.

"Well, I wouldn't have lasted a day out here all by myself. You're very brave."

Hilary smiled slightly and then sighed. "K- some people don't share your view. They think I was terribly stupid." A shadow passed over her face and she turned to look away.

Tyson decided that Kai was a rat to treat his girlfriend so callously when she had come all the way just for him.

"Don't feel bad if Kai said something. He's just worried, you know." _Why am I defending him_?

Hilary eyed him skeptically.

"I mean, he's obviously protective of you. He doesn't want to see you hurt, that's all. Hey, if I had a girlfriend, I wouldn't want her here with me. This place is dangerous, you know."

"But I was worried too. Why doesn't he understand that?" To his alarm, he saw her eyes start to fill. She wasn't going to cry, was she? He didn't know how to deal with crying girls.

"Er..."

"Does he think it was easy for me to come all the way here? I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't just sit there and worry my head off while he – he..." The tears were suddenly replaced by fire as she scowled angrily. Tyson watched her in confusion as she got up and started pacing. "If he thinks I'm just going to quietly listen to him, then he's thinking wrong. I'm not going back."

"Oh..."

"Max is here. Why can't I be here too? Does he think I'm going to betray him? Like Ryan? Does he think it doesn't kill me to – to know that Ryan..." And just as suddenly, she deflated and slumped back on the log, her head buried in her hands.

Tyson wished Max or Kai would hurry up and return. He was completely out of his depth here.

ooo

Not too far from the campsite, two friends sat discussing the latest turn of events.

"So, what have you decided?" Max asked quietly.

"We have to take her back. It's too dangerous for her here."

Max nodded, having expected Kai to say just that. "But will she agree?"

"She has no choice."

"It's risky...you know that, don't you? Balkov's spies will be all over the place. The two of us are hardly any challenge for an army like his. And if you're caught, Kai -"

"There's no other way, Max. I can't afford to let her remain with us and she can't return on her own. This is the only option we have."

Max said nothing more, but he couldn't help feeling afraid for Kai.

ooo

"I'm sorry," Hilary said quietly after a while. "I...shouldn't have said all that. I don't know what you must be thinking of me."

"It's alright," Tyson said, relieved that the storm had passed. "Everyone is entitled to blow off steam once in a while."

"I don't think I know your name."

"It's Tyson."

"And I'm Hilary," she smiled at him wanly.

"I know. Max told me."

"So, have you known Kai for long?" Hilary asked curiously.

"Not long enough. I mean, we bumped into each other, so to speak, a few days back."

"Aren't you from Phoenicia then?"

"Nope. I'm a stranger to these parts." Tyson frowned slightly before adding, "I think."

Hilary stared at him puzzled. He hesitated, and then explained, "I'm lost. Max and Kai found me in the forest. They couldn't tell me how to get home, so they let me tag along."

"Where are you from?"

"Bey City. Have you heard of it?"

"Bey City? Hmm..." Hilary looked thoughtful for a moment, and then shook her head. "I don't think I've heard of it. It doesn't sound familiar."

Tyson tried not to feel too disappointed. If Kai and Max hadn't a clue, then why would Hilary? "Yes...I suppose it's somewhat off the beaten track."

Hilary waited for Tyson to continue. She knew there had to be more to the story. Why would Kai let a perfect stranger accompany him, particularly at a time like this? But Tyson was silent.

"So, what do you do in Bey City?"

"I beyblade," Tyson replied, smiling.

"Beyblade? What's that?"

Tyson's smile turned into a huge grin. "Oh, it's nothing...just the greatest sport in the whole world. And I am the world champion."

He was in the midst of explaining a particularly intricate point of a beyblading defence move when Kai and Max returned. As expected, Hilary did not care much for Kai's decision and made her opinion known loud and clear. But Kai was adamant and in the battle of wills that ensued Hilary came out a distant second. She gave in and it was decided that they would start out for the White Country the next day.

Six days of hard trekking finally brought them to the borders of the White Country. And the moment they crossed it they were surrounded by soldiers and taken captive.

ooo

"I can't say I'm overly impressed by the hospitality of this country," Tyson commented as he paced the anteroom restlessly. "How long are they going to keep us here? Does it really take that long to come up with some gesture of gratitude?"

His companions made no response. Max tried to settle himself more comfortably amid the plush cushions on the armchair he was occupying and ignored Tyson's rant. He had no answer to give to Tyson as he himself was non-plussed and somewhat worried at the turn of events. After being apprehended, instead of being thrown directly into the dungeons or taken straight to Ryan, the three of them had been brought to this anteroom to wait, while Hilary had been taken right away to Ryan. If Ryan meant to hold them captives – and Max didn't discount that thought – then why were they being made to wait? And if, on the other hand, Ryan's intentions were honourable, then again, why the long wait? True, they were in a nicely furnished antechamber and had relative privacy...yet, it felt a bit like a game of cat-and-mouse. Max hated the indecisiveness of the entire situation. He stole a glance at Kai who stood leaning against the wall, apparently in deep thought. It seemed to Max that Kai didn't want to accept even the slightest form of hospitality from Ryan. He had been standing thus for the past two hours.

"...I mean, Hilary must have told her brother what had happened. So what's keeping him?" Tyson continued to grumble.

Ryan was just playing mind games, Max decided. Maybe this was a way of scoring a point, or telling Kai something...or annoying them until they took matters into their own hands. _How could Ryan have changed so much_? Max felt a weight settle on his heart as he remembered all those past occasions when they had been honoured guests at this palace, instead of..._Has it been so long ago_? _All that time we spent together...our friendship...how could they not mean anything to you, Ryan? How could you forsake Kai...? _

"I can't wait to meet this ex-friend of yours. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. Just what-"

"You'll do no such thing," Kai's voice coolly cut through Tyson's rant. Both Tyson and Max turned to stare at Kai in surprise. Kai's eyes were fixed on Tyson.

"But, Kai..."

"Don't get me wrong, but this is none of your concern. I would prefer it if you did not involve yourself in this matter."

Tyson glared at Kai. Kai stared back, unmoved until Tyson finally gave in, trying not to feel somewhat hurt by Kai's words and the implied exclusion. An uneasy silence fell between them. Finally, just as Max was coming to the conclusion that Ryan must have forgotten about them, a couple of palace guards entered to escort them to Ryan.

The audience room they were led to was huge and richly furnished, designed to intimidate and awe visitors. The guards entered and announced the visitors before letting them in. Kai entered first, followed by Max. Eager to get a glimpse of the infamous Ryan, Tyson peered around Max and as his eyes took in the sight before him, he gasped in disbelief.

The room was furnished in shades of white and gold, opulent yet airy. Guards were strategically positioned near all entrances and exits. And in the centre of the room, watching them with an expressionless face stood a figure. The figure was attired in rich blue robes, but there was no mistaking the long black hair bound into a single plait...or the golden eyes that were riveted on their little group...or the face that he had last seen just days before...They could belong to only one person in the world-

"_Ray...RAY_...! I don't believe it...Is it really you?"

Tyson pushed past Max and Kai and rushed forward, his face blazing with wild joy and hope.

"How - how did you get here, Ray? Did you come looking for me? Are the others here as well? Do you know how we can get back? How did -"

He suddenly found his way barred by two guards and stopped short. What was happening? Tyson looked in confusion at the blue-robed figure who had not moved from his position but was now eyeing Tyson incredulously.

"Ray...?"

Those golden eyes bored into him and Tyson felt a cold shiver run up his spine. This...this couldn't be Ray. He looked like Ray but those eyes...never, in all the time he had known Ray, had Tyson seen such a cold expression in those eyes. The eyes swept past Tyson and rested on his two companions who had been watching the scene in stunned silence.

"Kai. Max."

_This isn't Ray... Such cold voice...It can't be Ray. This is... _

"Ryan."

_Ryan...Ryan... Hilary's brother and Kai's backstabbing ex-friend..._Tyson felt dizzy with shock at the revelation. Surely it couldn't be...?

"I didn't expect to meet you under such circumstances. Hilary has told me what had happened. I apologize for my sister's appalling behaviour and thank you for bringing her back to me safely."

Neither Kai nor Max said anything in response.

"In return, I promise you a safe journey up to the borders of my country. You will come to no harm, but once you cross the border, you are on your own. I regret that this is the best I can do."

_That's it_? _That is the best he can do_?

"Your generosity knows no bounds. Thank you," Kai replied in a low and equally cold voice and turned to leave.

Tyson's shock was rapidly turning into white hot rage. This person...this Ryan...how dare he look like Ray and speak so coldly? How dare he treat Kai so callously? Ryan's golden eyes came back to settle on Tyson and he clenched his hands in fury. His voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

"You...you look so much like my friend...for a moment there I actually thought...I thought you were him. But...now I see that I was mistaken. Ray would...Ray would never turn his back on a friend...Ray is the bravest person I know. You...you are just a coward."

Two things happened in rapid succession. Guards sprang forward to grab Tyson and the next moment Kai's voice hissed in warning, "Leave him alone."

All, except Tyson who was staring accusingly at Ryan, turned to look at Kai and recoiled in shock. Kai's eyes were on Ryan and they seemed to be shooting malevolent sparks of fire. A reddish haze was slowly enveloping him and the air was suddenly heavy with menace that seemed to be emanating in waves from the exiled prince.

"Kai..." Max breathed softly, blue eyes wide. But Kai, blinded by red-hot rage, was impervious to his friend's entreaty. For the first time in his life, Max felt afraid of his friend. He shot a look at Ryan, who hesitated, then nodded to the guards. The guards immediately let go of Tyson and stepped back. The haze dispersed and the air seemed to lighten up in relief as Kai calmed down.

"My offer still stands. You are safe until you reach the borders. Beyond that, you are on your own," Ryan said after a moment of silence, his voice as cold as before.

Without a word, Kai turned and walked out of the room. Max gently pulled Tyson along as he followed Kai without a backward glance. The guards dismissed, Ryan stood alone in the centre of the vast, echoing chamber, his eyes seeing nothing, one word reverberating in his head...

_Coward..._

ooo

Light filtered through the canopy of thick branches and leaves into the clearing where a lone boy stood, grim determination in every line of his body and on his face. In the stillness, the only sound that could be heard was the boy's laboured breathing.

Tyson took position once more, arms outstretched and eyes focused, and shouted, "3...2...1...Let it rip!"

The beyblade shot out of the launcher and raced across the clearing, spinning lazily before it slowed down and wobbled to a halt. Tyson shouted in frustration. He didn't understand what was going on. Something seemed to be wrong with Dragoon. He had been trying for a while now but couldn't get it to launch properly or spin like before. What was the matter?

"Alright, Dragoon, one more time. And let's get serious, okay?" He picked up his beyblade, slotted it back into the launcher and started again. "3...2...1...Let it rip!"

He released the beyblade and watched in disbelief as it crashed into a nearby tree and came to a stop.

"Dammit! Why? Why can't I get it right? It's been only a few days...I can't have lost my touch! What's the matter with me?"

_Dammit Kenny! Where are you when I need you?_

Gritting his teeth, he shook his head and picked up his beyblade. He positioned it in the launcher and pulled the ripcord again.

"3...2...1...Let it rip!"

Some distance away, beyond Tyson's range of vision, two pairs of eyes watched him curiously.

"What is he doing?" Kai muttered. "He's been at it for hours."

Max was equally mystified. "He appears to be...practising."

"Practising what?"

Max shrugged. "He somehow reminds me of you...when you are hard at training. All that focus...and frustration..." He shot a teasing grin at Kai.

"I practice for a reason. And I practice with a sword. What's that thing in his hand?"

"Umm...I think that's what he calls a beyblade. You remember...he kept on and on about some tournament that he didn't want to miss? Maybe this is how they battle it out there, wherever he is from."

Kai frowned slightly. "It seems rather pointless. And...why now, all of a sudden?"

Max didn't reply. They had left the White Country borders a few days back, but had been too concerned with getting back to the relative safety of the forest interiors to completely relax their guard. Today was the first day they were finally able to rest and Tyson had used the opportunity to take out his beyblade and practice. Since leaving White Country, Tyson had been unusually quiet and withdrawn, and Max was convinced that it had something to do with what had happened at the palace. It seemed like a freaky coincidence that Ryan resembled Tyson's friend Ray. It must have been quite a shock to Tyson. Of course, that hadn't been the only shocking incident...

"Kai?"

"Hmm?"

"There's something that has been bothering me for a while." Kai tensed. He knew what Max was driving at. "What happened there at Ryan's palace when you...you know...?"

Kai could feel the blue eyes trained on him, but he kept his gaze fixed on Tyson. "I don't know."

"You were practically on fire. One wrong move...and Ryan would have been reduced to ashes. You didn't seriously think Ryan would hurt Tyson, did you?"

Kai hesitated before answering, "I didn't think at all. It just...happened. Something seemed to take over me." It had been instinctive. Something had snapped inside him on seeing Tyson being manhandled – that was all he remembered. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't rationalize it. It had to do with Tyson, but what? How? Why?

Kai watched as Tyson sank to his knees after another apparently failed attempt and slammed his fist into the ground in frustration and anger. He could feel Tyson's despair as if it was his own. How often had he himself been driven to such despair as he struggled to find a way out of his problem? The sense of helplessness and futility...yes, he could completely empathize with Tyson.

His attention temporarily diverted from Kai, Max winced sympathetically as he watched Tyson and decided that enough was enough.

"Hey, Tyson, what are you doing?" he asked casually as he approached him.

Tyson didn't reply for a long moment as he knelt there on the ground, eyes closed. "Practising," he finally said.

"What's wrong?" Max asked quietly as he sat down next to Tyson.

Tyson shook his head and sighed. "I can't do it. My beyblade is not responding to me." He looked sadly at the beyblade that lay forlornly some feet away.

"Maybe you're trying too hard," Max suggested, wishing he knew more about this beyblading to offer more concrete advice.

"It's never happened to me before. It's...scary. Beyblading...it's my life, you know. Without it...I don't know what I'd do. My friends, my team...they are all depending on me. If I lost it, I'd be letting them down so badly...I couldn't stand it."

Max was silent as he watched Tyson rub his eyes angrily.

"Your friends...are they all beybladers like you?"

"Not all," Tyson replied with a short laugh. "Kenny has a beyblade, but he prefers his laptop. He's the one who configures and upgrades our beyblades and keeps them in shape. Kenny's a genius. He can figure out where we're going wrong and how to improve our game. We would be very lost without him. I wish he were here. He would be able to tell me what I was doing wrong." Tyson sighed wistfully.

"What about Ray?"

"Ray...is one of the best beybladers I know. He was my rival, and a formidable one at that. But once I had defeated him, we became friends and teammates. He has taught me a lot." The image of a blue-robed figure with cold-eyes imposed itself in his mind and he scowled. "He has never once let me down. He always fights fair, no matter what. And he has always believed in me."

"Sounds like a good friend."

"He is. If he had been your friend instead of that Ryan, you guys would still be back in your palace. Ray would never have abandoned Kai. Not ever." Max said nothing and Tyson continued, "And then, there's Mariah. She's Ray's girlfriend but she's a good beyblader as well. Kane and Selima travel all around the world, learning new techniques and teaching as well. Ozuma is very powerful as well, though we started off on the wrong foot. Mr. Dickinson who gave me my first chance...my Grandpa, who never lets me miss practice...I wonder what they're all doing now. Maybe they think I'm dead. Sometimes...sometimes I fear I'll never see them again." His voice trailed off sadly.

A hand reached down to pick up the beyblade. The next moment a shadow fell on him and he looked up to see Kai standing there in front of him, regarding him solemnly. Tyson blinked and slowly got to his feet. They stood looking at each other for a long moment before Kai spoke.

"I don't know where you are from. But once this -" he waved a hand around, indicating the forest around them "- is over, I will do everything in my power to send you back to your home. I give you my word."

Tyson didn't know what to say. "I..."

Max got to his feet and shot Kai a questioning look. "You do know what you are saying, don't you, Kai?"

Kai nodded. "I do."

Max stared at Kai for a long moment, then turned to Tyson. "It's alright, then, Tyson. Kai has given his word. You can trust him," he said cheerfully.

"What - what do you mean?"

"Nothing much, just that a Hiwatari never goes back on his word, no matter what," Max explained, giving Tyson a friendly thump on the back.

Tyson stared at Kai in bewilderment. "This isn't like those unbreakable vows you read about in books, is it? I mean...you are not going to die if you fail, are you?"

Kai was somewhat taken aback. "I don't know. No Hiwatari has ever failed to keep his word till date."

"I...you don't have to...I'm sure things will work out...it's not your fault."

"Perhaps. I'll help you anyway I can. Once this war is over, I'll have resources at my command. We'll find a way to send you home."

Kai's eyes held a very earnest expression, something he had not seen before and Tyson found that he could not look away. Faint hope and a profound sense of gratitude coupled with some nameless emotion welled up in him. Now he knew why Max, Tala and Hilary risked so much for Kai. There was something very dependable about him. Something very inspiring...

"_Does she believe in dragons as well?" _

"S_he believes in Kai...and that's all that matters."_

Perhaps now he could understand. Kai was different. He was special. He was worth risking life and limb. And he was, at that moment, holding out his hand to Tyson, holding out Dragoon.

Tyson reached to take his beyblade and watched as Kai turned to leave. He wanted to thank Kai, tell him that he appreciated the offer, that he believed the war would be over soon.

"Kai..."

Kai stopped and turned back to face Tyson who was gazing at him with an odd expression on his face. "What is it?"

"I...I hope you find your dragon."

_(To be continued_...)


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Sorry about this long delay. This chapter (I call it 'Enter the Dragon') was quite difficult to write for some reason. Action isn't my strong point and I kept putting it off, hoping it would write by itself :) I'm really not satisfied with it, but I'm not up to rewriting it for the third time. So...hope you enjoy it.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

**Warning**: As before.

**PROPHECY - V**

Max stopped in his tracks and listened intently. At first all he could hear was the whisper of the leaves, the creak of the branches, the subdued chirps of birds high up in the trees, the sound of various other animals hidden from sight - muted, everyday sounds the forest made. Then he heard it - the sound he had been dreading, searching for, ever since their visit to White Country...the sound of someone following him.

So the enemy was finally on their trail. He had to assume it was the enemy; a friend would have announced his presence by now. What should he do? He could run back to the camp and warn the others but ...what if, in doing so, he led the enemy straight to Kai? The other option was to lead the pursuers on a wrong trail. He could return after losing them. A frightening thought struck him. What if Kai and Tyson had already been spotted and captured? He should go back...

As Max hesitated over his next course of action, he could hear the footsteps sounding closer. There was no time to lose. He quickly decided on the second option. He had to lead whoever it was off track, away from the camp and Kai. He started to run, barely avoiding the giant protruding roots that lay in wait for unsuspecting trekkers and the dangerously low-hanging branches that threatened to decapitate him, praying his pursuer or pursuers wouldn't be so lucky. After all, nobody knew this forest as well as he and Kai did - nobody, except...

...Ryan.

His steps faltered and slowed down as the thought struck. No...Ryan wouldn't, would he? Ryan was a traitor, he was the enemy but...would he do that to Kai? He had promised them safe passage..._but only till the borders_... no, Ryan couldn't do it. If he did, he would never be able to face Hilary...

As thoughts warred inside Max's head, his attention briefly strayed from his surroundings. He stumbled, stubbing his toe and, the next moment, found himself sprawled on the ground. Before he could scramble to his feet he heard footsteps closing around him.

---

There was something incredibly soothing about sitting by the edge of a still pool in the middle of a forest. To those who didn't know it well, the forest was an eerily quiet place; but those who were familiar with it were constantly aware of the throb, the roar underneath the silence. The forest was alive and breathing, but the pool was just still, its surface reflecting the tranquility the soul craved.

And then, the tranquility was shattered by a muttered imprecation.

"Damn it! This is too difficult!"

Kai turned to look at Tyson who sat a few feet away, a makeshift fishing rod in his hand.

"You need to be still and quiet. Or else you'll scare the fish away."

"Yeah...Okay."

Asking Tyson to be still and quiet was like...like asking the wind not to blow, Kai thought in wry amusement as he studied the younger boy. Some people exuded an aura of serenity even in the midst of chaotic activity; Tyson, even in repose, was like a whirlwind taking a breather before wreaking more havoc.

_Whirlwind..._

Kai sighed and turned his gaze back to the water.

"_I hope you find your dragon_."

Tyson's words had carried a quiet conviction – as if he knew, was confident, that Kai would find the dragon soon. Kai found it strange that while his own friends – Max, Tala, Hilary – always skirted around the subject of the dragon, Tyson was the only one who brought it out in the open. It was as though Tyson himself believed in the dragon and Kai found the thought somewhat comforting...that he was no longer alone.

_Where are you, my dragon?_

Kai was convinced that the dragon was somewhere in the forest. Despite what Max had said, he had seen it, felt it. But where could it be? He had tried to seek it out so many times in the past few days, but with no luck. Sometimes he felt its presence so tantalizingly close...yet it remained elusive. Why? Why was it playing this strange game of hide-and-seek? Didn't it understand the gravity of the situation...and his desperation?

Even now, with his eyes closed, he could sense it near him...closer than ever before. Perhaps today it would show itself to him. Today was his coming-of-age day, after all. He drew a deep breath and relaxed. All extraneous thoughts drifted away as his mind focussed on the blue dragon. There, at the edge of his consciousness, he could feel its presence. Close...very close. He waited, reluctant to make a move and chase it away again. Anticipation raced through his veins.

He had no awareness of time slipping by, but finally he sensed the presence move. Move towards him. He felt his breath quicken. He could touch it now, he thought. It was within reach. He could extend a hand, touch it, hold it and never let it go...

"Kai..."

Kai opened his eyes slowly and stared into deep brown eyes. For a moment he wondered dazedly at the concern in those eyes before reality came crashing down on him. It was not the blue dragon that stood before him; it was Tyson.

_I give up._

"Are you all right?" Tyson was asking, his voice laced with worry.

Kai turned away without answering, fighting to regain composure. He wanted to get away from there.

"I bet I know what you're thinking," Tyson continued. "You're wondering what I'm going to do with these, aren't you?" And with a broad grin, he held up the three fish he had managed to catch and spear.

"I-"

"Hey, don't fret. I'm going to cook you the best birthday meal ever. A meal fit for a king, ha ha ha..."

Kai looked from the fish to the grinning boy in front of him. "I think I'd prefer it to be cooked by Max," he said flatly.

"What? Hey, I can cook just as well."

Kai raised an eyebrow derisively and said nothing.

Tyson flushed slightly. "_That_ was just an accident, you know. I didn't mean to burn the food that time."

Kai remained silent.

"Come on, give me a chance. I promise I won't burn it this time. I'll show you I can cook just as well as Max. Speaking of Max, where is he?"

"He's not back yet," Kai replied as he got to his feet.

"What's taking him so long? Shouldn't he have been back hours ago?"

"Hn..." Kai frowned as this new worry took root. Max had never been late before. "Alright, you cook the meal any way you like. Just make sure it's edible."

"Where are you going?" Tyson asked in surprise as Kai turned to walk off.

"I'll go see what's keeping Max. You stay here."

"But-"

"Tyson, I won't be long. And I want you to stay here. Don't move from this place. And don't fall into the pool." Smirking slightly at the affronted look on Tyson's face, Kai walked away.

Tyson watched Kai's retreating back in silent disappointment and a sense of disquiet. Where could Max be? Ever since their return from White Country, whenever they set camp, Max always made it a point to do an informal reconnaissance of the surroundings to make sure they were safe. This had been one such mission, and as such, should not have taken so long. And Max was much too responsible to lose track of time or dawdle in any way.

As he set about making a small fire, his thoughts turned towards Kai. He knew Kai was worried. But there was something else about Kai that bothered Tyson right now. Just a while earlier, Kai had looked so frustrated...so desolate and sad...He wondered if Kai missed being back home in the palace. After all, if things hadn't gone so awry, today would have been his Coronation Day, the day Phoenicia got her new king. It would have been the most important, the most memorable day of his life. Instead, here he was, on the run from his enemies, holed up in this creepy forest with a couple of friends for company. It wasn't a happy thought.

And now...Max was missing. Was Max in danger? Had he been captured by that Balkov's soldiers? Or had some hungry wild animal made a meal of him? Or maybe he was lost and hurt and not able to find his way back. Would Kai succeed in finding Max?

Thoughts chased each other inside his head until finally he gave up thinking. It was no use, he realized. He had never been much good at staying put, particularly when his instincts were screaming at him to follow Kai. If Max was in danger, Kai would need help. And if not...Tyson tried not to think of what would happen if _he_ were to get lost. Quickly and carefully he put out the fire he had lit just moments before, checked to see that his beyblade was with him, cast a last wistful glance at the fish he had so painstakingly caught (and would now probably not get to eat ) and set off in the direction Kai had taken. As far as he could tell, Kai had just ten minutes or so of a head start. He'd catch up with him soon enough.

---

Max struggled and strained to free himself but the knots held firm. Whoever had tied him to the tree knew his job well. And to add insult to the injury, he had been stripped of all his hidden weapons. He was well and truly at the mercy of these soldiers. His only comfort was that they were not Ryan's men, they were Balkov's. He bit back a growl of frustration and tried to think of a way out.

There were some ten or so soldiers in the clearing at present and Max knew there were more yet to come. From what he understood, the platoon had entered the forest and fanned out in small groups to search for Kai. The group that had caught him had been joined by others and they were now waiting for the rest to return. Max wondered how many of them were there in all. He hoped Kai was safe. If only he could free himself and get his hand on his dagger...

"Any luck, Claude?" the soldier in charge called out as a few more soldiers entered the clearing.

The soldier named Claude shook his head. "None, Captain. There's not a single sign of him – or that other kid. What do we do now?"

"Are all our men accounted for?"

"Yes, sir," came a chorus of voices.

The captain nodded. He walked up to Max and studied him thoughtfully for a moment.

"Well, Mizuhara, it seems you are our last hope. Tell me, where is Hiwatari Kai?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Or you won't tell?"

Max shrugged as best as he could under the circumstances. "I'm not his keeper. He comes and goes whenever he wishes to, and doesn't always feel the need to keep me informed."

"You're not making my job easy for me, are you?" the soldier commented after a moment of silence.

_Not if I can help it_. Max kept his face expressionless and said nothing.

"You know, I really abhor unnecessary violence. So if you would just cooperate with me, I'll let you go free."

Max gave a derisive snort.

"You don't believe me? It's true. Our orders are to capture only Hiwatari. Neither you nor anyone else come into the picture."

The soldier sounded sincere. Max watched him carefully. There was something familiar about him. He racked his brains for a name that went with that face and suddenly found it.

"You're Miguel, aren't you? Tala's subordinate? I think we've met before."

"Yes...at the memorial service five years back."

"Oh...your parents...?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, you're a Phoenician. Why do you fight against Kai? Why do you betray him for a man like Balkov?" Max asked.

"The days of the Hiwatari are over. It's time we had a new ruler -"

"How dare you?" Max asked angrily. "Kai is going to be the new ruler. Phoenicia will always be ruled by Hiwatari."

"The Hiwatari line is cursed. It's only brought us war and strife. And now it's time that line was snuffed out for good. A new power will raise Phoenicia to great heights and bring prosperity to her people."

"Is that the crap that Balkov has been feeding you? And you seriously believe it? You're even more of a moron than I'd thought."

"_Silence_! Do you know what it's like to lose members of your family to a war that never seems to end? Do you know what it's like to become a soldier and fight because in the end that's the only way to survive? If an outsider like General Balkov can bring peace to my country, then I'm all for it. Rather him than a Hiwatari..."

"I know what you've gone through because I've lost my family too in the same war. But I'm not going to let their sacrifice go in waste. I'm with Kai and I would rather die than betray him," Max said in a quiet defiant voice.

Miguel stared at Max thoughtfully. Around them the soldiers stood alert, watching them.

"So, you are not going to tell us where Hiwatari is, are you?" Max maintained his mutinous silence. "In that case, I have no choice but to hurt you. If you won't take us to Hiwatari, we'll just have to bring him here, won't we? And let's hope he is as loyal to you as you are to him."

Max watched in trepidation as Miguel stepped closer, a wicked looking dagger glinting in his hand. He suddenly realised what the soldier was about to do.

_Don't scream, Max, no matter what... _

With the tip of the dagger Miguel lightly traced Max's jawline. Max gritted his teeth and glared back.

_Don't scream_...

"Don't worry. I won't kill you. This will hurt just enough to bring your friend running over. Once we get our hands on him we'll let you go."

"Do your worst. You'll never catch Kai."

"Such faith and devotion...I'm impressed. You know, maybe -"

The rest of his words were cut off as a voice suddenly called out, "Alright, you've had your fun. Now let him go."

Kai stood at the edge of the clearing, shielded by a hapless soldier (who had apparently strayed a bit too far from his companions) whom he was holding at knife point.

Max felt his heart plummet right down to the soles of his feet. Miguel, on the other hand, was smiling.

"Hiwatari, we were waiting for you."

"Let him go."

"Of course."

Miguel stepped back from Max and silently commanded one of the soldiers to untie him. "He is not the one we want, anyway."

Max made his way across to Kai, unhampered. All eyes were on Kai and his hostage, watching warily.

"Are you alright?" he asked Max in a low voice.

"Why are you here?" Max hissed back.

"Why do you think?"

"You idiot! I would have been fine. You're the one they want. Now what are we going to do?"

Good question. The soldiers were ranged on three sides of the clearing and far outnumbered them. Flight would have been an option, but there was no way they could get much ahead without being caught. There was only one thing left to do. He pushed away the hostage soldier.

---

Tyson took off in the direction Kai had gone. Kai was, of course, nowhere to be seen, but Tyson carried on, led by some strange instinct. It was as though a voice inside him was telling him which way to go. He didn't question it; like many other strange things that had happened so far, he decided to think about it later. Right now it was time for action.

He crashed through the vegetation, his sense of danger heightening with each step that he took. Quite a distance away from the campsite he drew to a sudden halt. He was still under the cover of the trees, but he could hear voices coming from further ahead. Slowly he crept forward, trying to be as noiseless as possible. A few steps ahead, he spied a gap between the trees and saw a clearing beyond it. It was full of soldiers.

Tyson hesitated. He didn't recognize the uniform. They didn't appear to be White Country men (though that didn't necessarily let that backstabber Ryan off the hook). Were they that Balkov's men? The attention of the soldiers was on something or someone on the other side that Tyson couldn't see. They hadn't seen him. He could retreat and find another route –

Unless...those men hadn't caught Max and Kai, had they?

Tyson scanned his surroundings. There was no way he could see what was happening without drawing attention to himself. The overhanging vines blocked his view. Suddenly an idea struck him. He grabbed one of the vines and pulled experimentally. It held strong. Holding on to it with both hands he hoisted himself up. Rope climbing wasn't really his thing and he'd only tried it a couple of times at Ray's insistence, but he remembered how to move and soon he'd swung himself on to one of the sprawling branches of the tree. The tree was huge – like most other trees in the forest – and its branches overlapped with those of the neighbouring trees, forming a rough and shaky walkway for the nimble-footed.

Carefully Tyson crawled up the branch and crossed over to the tree in front. The lichen and moss on the bark proved slippery and more than once he nearly lost his grip. But he held on and slowly but painstakingly made his way to the edge of the clearing. And once there, he had a clear view of the proceedings below.

A group of soldiers stood scattered in the clearing, almost surrounding two familiar figures. So, Max and Kai were in trouble, Tyson realized as the first cold fingers of panic crept up his spine. This was bad. From what he could see, there seemed to be no way out. Even if they managed to make a break for it, there was no way they could escape so many soldiers. Every one of them was on alert. One wrong move...and Kai or Max could end up dead.

_Think, Tyson, think..._

Tyson quelled the urge to rush headlong into the fray. Any rash action on his part could land him in the same place as those two. He needed a strategy. It was no use fighting; they would be grossly overwhelmed. Flight seemed to be the only option.

There was only one way out.

_Dragoon, my friend, it's up to us now. It's time to get down to some serious business._

Even as the idea came to him, he could feel his pulse quicken in anticipation. He knew Dragoon had not been in top form for the past few days, but today – today was going to be different. He took out his beyblade and felt the power course through him. Today was going to be an exceptionally great day.

"Well, Dragoon," Tyson murmured as he slotted his beyblade into the launcher. "It's time to raise a storm. And let's hope those two have enough sense to run away when they have a chance, eh?"

---

This was the end, Kai thought as he watched the soldiers range themselves before him. To be cornered like this, with absolutely no hope of escape...and no dragon to come to his aid. Max had been right all along. He had been living in a dream and now was the time to wake up to reality.

This wasn't exactly the way he had wanted to die, but at least he was going down fighting. And with him would die Phoenicia, the people who had put their trust and faith in him, the legacy his ancestors had left behind...

...his friends who had risked their lives for him time and time again...

Tyson...and the promise he had made to him. Who would keep that promise now?

No, Kai thought, this could not be the end. He refused to let it be over like this, if for nothing else, at least for the sake of that promise. He would fight and win.

"Max..."

"No," Max said firmly, correctly interpreting the look on Kai's face. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll do this together."

Kai nodded, not having expected any other answer. He handed Max a couple of daggers that he had 'borrowed' from his hostage earlier and looked at Miguel challengingly.

"Bring it on, then."

And the very next moment something whizzed through the air and landed right in the middle of the clearing, spinning crazily.

---

Taking advantage of the brief distraction the spinning beyblade had caused, Tyson emerged from the trees and sprinted across to join Kai and Max.

"_TYSON_! What are you doing here?" Max asked in astonishment.

Tyson grinned. "You guys look like you're having fun. Thought I'd join in."

"You idiot!" Kai glared at him. "I told you to stay put, didn't I? Haven't I told you before not to interfere in my battles?"

"Sorry, Kai. It's a bit too late for that."

Dragoon was creating quite a stir. The soldiers were all staring at it, non-plussed, having no idea what it was, or how dangerous it was.

"Max," Tyson said softly, his eyes on his beyblade. "There's not much time. Get Kai out of here the moment you get a chance. Knock him out if you have to, alright? We won't get another opportunity."

"Er..." Tyson was up to something and Max had no idea what it was, but he was going to grab whatever chance to get Kai to safety. This had to be better than Kai's suicidal plan to stay and fight.

"Don't you-"

Tyson turned to look at Kai and the latter swallowed back whatever he had been about to say. There was something different about Tyson. He looked taller, stronger...more capable. There was the light of battle in his eyes. He looked as if he should be wielding a sword and not that contraption in his hand.

Who was this person?

Tyson gazed at Kai and felt his heart fill with emotion. _No matter what...I'll protect you with my life, Kai_.

He smiled. "Don't worry, Kai. Everything's going to be fine."

The soldiers, once over their initial shock, had by now concluded that Tyson and his beyblade were harmless and were getting ready to attack. It was the perfect moment.

"NOW, DRAGOON!"

Tyson's beyblade started spinning with greater velocity. Almost instantaneously the breeze that had been blowing unnoticeably had escalated into a gale, knocking branches off the trees, lifting the debris off the forest floor in its wake, forcing everyone to move back to avoid being hit by one of those flying projectiles. Kai felt his skin tingle and the hair at the nape of his neck stand up. This storm...it was somehow familiar.

_Dragoon...? _

"Amazing!" Max exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. "I didn't realize his beyblade could do this. Where does it get this power?"

The pieces of the puzzle were rapidly falling into place in Kai's mind.

"Kai, I think this is what Tyson was talking about. We should get out of here while the soldiers are distracted."

The unnerved soldiers were struggling to stand on their feet. Captain Miguel shouted some command that was lost in the roar of the wind. At any rate, they were not retreating from the battle.

"Kai, we should-"

"DRAGOON! ULTIMATE STORM ATTACK!"

Through the haze of the storm, Kai saw something shimmer and wrap itself around Tyson. He practically felt the shock that ran through Max, and the frightened shouts of the soldiers around them...and knew that this time he was not the only one to have seen it.

The blue dragon had finally materialized.

A tremor ran through him, his eyes blurred with unshed tears and he thought his heart would burst from the strength of the emotions filling it.

_You didn't let me down, after all. _

---

"_The blue dragon_...?"

There was fear and confusion among the soldiers as they stared at the vision in front of them – the strange boy with the blue dragon wrapped around him. There was not one Phoenician among them who had not heard the lore of the dragon and the significance it held for Phoenicia and the Hiwatari clan. And there were quite a few who believed it and were now unwilling to proceed further. To make matters worse, the tempest had worsened and now the sky had opened up as well. If the dragon's fury didn't abate, the entire forest would soon be laid bare.

Under the circumstances, Captain Miguel had no choice but to give order to retreat.

Never before had Dragoon felt so powerful, Tyson thought as he felt the adrenaline rush through him. It was a heady feeling, like nothing he had felt before. It was as if all those previous beybattles had merely been practice sessions for this...the real thing.

Kai and Max were still close by. He could sense their presence, but could do nothing about it; his entire focus was on Dragoon. And then he sensed danger whizzing through the air straight towards Kai. Almost without volition, his body moved into its path to block it. The next moment, pain blossomed through him. His launcher clattered down and he crumbled to the ground.

_Kai...Dragoon..._

He tried to hold on to Dragoon but Dragoon was slipping away from him. Through the haze of pain, he thought he heard someone call out his name. He struggled to respond but his strength was ebbing away rapidly. Just before his eyes closed he caught a glimpse of red and gold at the far edge of the clearing... a magnificent bird-like creature, watching him sorrowfully...

Then the darkness closed in on him.

---

_TBC_


End file.
